It is essential to address the root of problems. March against Monsanto is a great mobilizer, BUT the messaging in Saskatchewan has to address the role of the University and the Government.
I think it is explained in these two earlier communications.
- NOTE TO RON FINLEY (INDUSTRIALIZED AGRICULTURE)
. . . I am from the agricultural province of Saskatchewan, Canada. We produce bioteched food crops soaked in chemicals.
The consequences are very high disease rates and developmental problems locally, an environment into which we just keep pumping more and more poisons, compliments of the chemical-biotech corps.
The University of Sask. College of Agriculture was taken over by them decades ago, beginning by Monsanto. Bayer CropScience and others now inhabit the University, too. The usurped University has become a “conditioning centre” for credentialing the agricultural specialists advising farmers.
The Govt has just given $15 million plus $35 million in corporate money to the University designated for the high-sounding “Global Institute for Food Security” (GIFS). The Institute is to be headed up by Roger Beachy on interim basis (he’s here one week a month for a year).
“His research at Washington University in St. Louis, in collaboration with Monsanto Company,…” (note, too, that the head offices of Monsanto are in St Louis).
Seems to me that the Govt is using the University as the conduit for sending public money to Monsanto and others (corporate welfare paid for by citizens), in an endeavour that is clearly NOT in the public interest.
Not to mention that the University loses its autonomy when the Govt sends DESIGNATED funding (money is supposed to come with no strings attached. This is a public university.)
All is not bleak – bless you.
Also, I am an elected member of the University Senate. With more info and help, maybe we can reclaim “Our soil” as you are doing in L.A. If your inspired revolution fertilizes our efforts here, maybe we will be providing food grains that are developed by the criterion of their contribution to healthfulness, not by whether they can withstand chemical applications, and be “owned” (patented) by these very corrupt corporations.
My sincere best wishes to you & your group in L.A. Perhaps you will come and visit us one day in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Vive le revolution!
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3. REPLY FROM RON FINLEY
Ron Finley TED Speaker
Thank you cousin! Wow you get to see both sides live & in color! This has gotten so criminal. It has to change!
Vive Le Revolution!! or Evolution. . .
AllgoodThings!
~r0N
(EXCERPT FROM: 2013-03 Excellent! TED Talk, Ron Finley, A guerilla gardener in south central L.A. )
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2. EXCERPT FROM 2013-05-07 Oral presentation to U of S, Board of Governors. Includes critique of “Global Institute for Food Security”
. . . . In closing, I draw to your attention another dinosaur the University is establishing, the Global Institute for Food Security. It is another example where the University is being used by the Government and industry to funnel public money for corporate purposes which are at odds with the public interest.
Let me explain: I have a longer life-experience than all of you! I grew up in rural Saskatchewan; I lived relatively close to Nature, camped outdoors a lot, helped in the fields from a young age.
The changes I have seen over my lifetime are very threatening AND they are the result of industrialized, chemical/biotech agriculture, as taught at the University. I attended a lecture in January at the Johnson-Shoyama School of Public Policy in order to understand the line that would likely be pursued at the Global Institute for Food Security.
The concept of food “security” comes down the line from “homeland security”, military and corporate interests, the undermining and removal of democratic principles.
People understand that “Food sovereignty” is in the public interest, it comes down the line from sovereignty as in Quebec, self-determination as in First Nations, democracy movements like the Arab Spring to “take back” sovereignty.
“Food security” is about corporate ownership of seeds, our FOOD supply engineered by the criterion of its ability to survive applications of poisons. Forget about agriculture’s contribution to healthy ecosystems, to water supplies that are not poisoned, and to a reduction in childhood cancers and developmental problems.
I mentioned the changes over my lifetime. The changes to the soil (the accumulated poisons mean the life in it is gone, and there is no humous); the changes to the wildlife (the song birds like the meadow larks and others are about gone – you rarely hear them today); and the changes to the health of people indicate that we have made expensive mistakes in the field of agriculture.
We have normalized cancers, developmental problems, and infertility. I have lived long enough to know another time: these disease levels are NOT NORMAL. 50 years and researchers are still diddling around with “finding a cure”, passing off “early detection” of disease as dealing with cause, when we know what carcinogens and teratogens do and are doing.
Instead of changing our ways we develop a coterie of “professionals” and whole industries around the problems. The status quo becomes further entrenched.
A communications consultant told me he is one of 4 in the Research Department at the U of S. I asked further and was told that there are more than a hundred communication consultants employed by the University (I can’t vouch for the veracity of the number).
Communication consultants are used to convince ourselves that we are progressive and grand. While we plough the money into worn-out ideas from yesterday that serve the people of Saskatchewan badly.
I think we can do better. There are exciting things happening in the world. Don’t dismiss Occupy, the demonstrations in Quebec, or Idle No More. Movements build one on the other.
On May 25th people around the whole planet are marching against Monsanto (chem/biotech agriculture to serve corporate interests). I say “bless them”. And I ask On whose side is the University?
Thank-you for your time.